Multipolar connector for telephone sets

ABSTRACT

A flat multiple contact connector including a plug and mating socket. The plug contactor springs are paired and the contactor springs of a pair are mounted on opposite sides of an insulating tongue. The tongues are aligned asymmetrically for mating with like openings in the socket bearing individual receiver springs for each contactor spring.

United States Patent [151 3,701,084 Gomez 1 Oct. 24, 1972 [54]MULTI'PQLAR CONNECTOR FOR 771,410 10/1904 Beerwald ..339/ 176 PTELEPHONE SETS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [721 lnvenm" g i Mam!Malaga 1,023,038 3/1966 Great Britain ..339/1s4 M pain A Z I te fionalstand rd Electr- Co Primary Examiner-Joseph H. McGlynn [73] Ssgnee z gzNew York. NY lc r Attorney-C. Cornell Remsen, Jr., Walter J. Baum, PaulW. Hemminger, Charles L. Johnson, Jr., James [22] Filed: Jan. 6, 1971 B.Raden, Delbert P. Warner and Marvin M. Chaban [21] Appl. No.: 104,408[57] ABSTRACT A flat multiple contact connector including a plug and 52US. (:1. ..339/66 M, 339/75 M, 339/184 M, mating socket. The plugContact Springs are Paired 339/196 M and the contactor springs of a pairare mounted on op- Int. Cl- .1101! posite Sides of an insulating tongueThe tongues are t Field of 66, 176, aligned asymmetrically for matingwith like openings 339/192, 195, 196 in the socket bearing individualreceiver springs for each contactor spring. [56] References CitedFigures UNITED STATES PATENTS 538,327 4/1895 Gilliland ..339/l76 PMULTIPOLAR CONNECTOR FOR TELEPHONE SETS The main object of thisinvention is to provide an improved multiple contact connecting unitincluding a plug and a socket for use in apparatus adapted for telephoneinstallations. By using the plug and socket shown, the installation timeand the number of parts necessary to form the connecting unit can besubstantially reduced.

Jacks and plugs made of thermostable or thermoplastic material ofvarious colors are well known in many forms. These devices may be usedas produced or with various added substances added such as talcum,powdered glass. Further, the prior art is replete with constructionvariations such as molded metal inserts, electrodeposited, inserted andfitted contacts affixed to the connection by various means such as setscrews, washer and pressure screws. The latter may be threadcutting ormay screw on to the metal insertions or metallic terminals, or may beclipped or soldered to the ends of the conductors that form theconnecting cord or extension.

However, such mechanisms are inconvenient when assembling metalcontactor springs with insulators which must have a minimum weight andmust provide six metallic contact points, preferably in a flat form. Themajor purpose of the present invention is to obviate theseinconveniences and provide an improved design more suited to lightweighttelephone apparatus.

These features of the invention are effected by using:

a. A plastic plug basically made of other suitable thermostable materialsuch as phenolic resins, polyester polystyrene butadene, polyamides orany other type of material capable of being injected or molded bycompression with or without additives. The plug is provided with sixmetallic laminated contacts or springs made of brass, bronze ornickel-silver alloy, light in weight, in pairs grouped one on each sideof the three extending tongues or plastic appendages, each with its headin the form of an arrow. The plug is designed to be inserted into ajack.

b. The jack or socket is fabricated of the same plastic material as theplug, and the connecting points formed by metal springs in brass, bronzeor nickelsilver alloy or other material of high electric conductivityfor completing a connection to the telephone line.

c. Means are provided to prevent disassembly of the plug and socket oncejoined by means of an appendage incorporated into the plug which, onbeing introduced into the socket, stays in front of the drill hole onthe socket itself. The plug and socket are thus joined and form a rigidblock when joined by means of a screw threaded into the walls. Thisconstruction prevents accidental disconnection.

d. Further, there are provided two matching halfcovers for theprotection of the contacts against atmospheric conditions; these twohalf-covers overlap each other forming a small overhang.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a connector employing theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a side view in elevation of the plug unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the open plug of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the open socket of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows the socket of FIG. 4 and exploded therefrom a cover elementas shown in FIG. 1.

Hereafter is described in detail the construction and assembly of theplug and socket comprising the new connector.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective of the connector assembly 10, in which can beseen the two main parts, the plug 11 and the socket 12. These jointogether by lightly sliding them together and thereby closing themultiple electric circuit by means of the mating contact of each set oftwo contactor pins 31 of the plug 11 with the two mating springs 51 ofthe socket 12; this sliding movement being guided by the isolating andinsulating ridges 18 in the form of arrow-shaped tongues 19. These arrowheads facilitate and ease the entry of the plug'into the socket andconnection of the plug contactors 31 to the springs 51 of the socket.

To provide the assembly with a self-fastening device, the plug has anappendage or projecting finger 22 with a drill hole 32. A suitablemating recess 24 is provided in the adjoining wall 26 in the housing 28of the socket 12. By tightening a screw (not shown) through drill hole32 into the mating recess 24 within the socket cavity 62 at 52, theaccidental disconnection of the connector unit is prevented.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the sub-assembly of the plug 11 formed by a moldedbase 64 of any of the thermostable or thermoplastic materials asmentioned previously herein, including as one major element theprojecting finger 22.

The use of the projecting finger prevents:

a. The connection of the plug into the socket in an incorrect positiondue to the assymetry of its position in the plug front wall 66.

b. The incorrect plugging of plug into socket so that the electricalconnection of the insulating and guiding tongues 33 cannot be broken.

The use of the projecting finger 22 also ensures that the housing islocked by means of the mounting of the screw into drill hole 32.

The three appendages or fingers for the plug contactors are molded inthe form of arrows and serve:

1. To position the metal contacts or springs on both sides thereof inpairs;

2. To prevent incorrect insertion of the insulating fingers and thecontactor springs 31 borne thereon.

3. To ease the entry of the plug into the socket housing so that onlythe stationary, contactor springs 51 of the socket exert lateralpressure on the movable contactor springs 31 of the plug; these can thenbe made of a lighter material as they are only subject to lateralpressure on the contacts.

The contact tongues 33 terminate at the end of the plug designed toenter the interior cavity 62 of the body of the socket 12, and thetongues are spade-shaped in the form of an arrowhead to allow insertionof the terminal plug or similar plug into the socket.

For this reason the arrowhead or spade ends must be reinforced and areenlarged and molded thicker as seen in FIG. 1. These heads protect theends of the contactor springs 31 from being spread during insertion ofthe plug into the socket.

The outer lateral walls 71 of the plug 11 are configured with opposedprotruding members 72 having serrations 74 to facilitate handling of theplug when connecting and disconnecting.

The whole sub-assembly is covered with a plastic molded cover 13,fastened by means of a screw 36, that has a small overhang 38 (shown inFIG. 3) so that once assembled with the socket, no foreign particles canpenetrate into the assembly and thereby impede the normal functioningeither because of dust on the contacts or short circuits, etc.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the sub-assembly of socket 12 in greater detail. Inthe same way as the plug, the sub-assembly socket is molded bycompression of thermoplastic or thermo-stable material. The body ofsocket 12 is formed so that the corresponding recesses 24 allow thepassage of the appendages such as tongues 33 and finger 22 of the plughousing into the socket cavity 62. In the molding process, thestationary springs 51 are positioned in the cavities of the mold, andfastened by threadcutting screws 78 adapted for use with plasticmaterial, that also serve to provide the contact by pressure between thehead of these screws 78 and the offset surface 80 of the springs, tothereby provide a connection to the connecting wires of the system.

In the bottom wall 82 of the socket and in the rear wall 84 there areprovided two narrow molded slots 55 and 56 that permit the entrance ofrespective conductors (not shown) permitting the possibility of entry ofthe connecting wires from below or from the rear. The entiresub-assembly is covered by a molded lid 15 of the same material andcolor as the body, and held by means of a thread-cutting screw 86 in theplastic body of the socket.

In order to protect the wall on which the plug is mounted, a plate 43molded in the same insulating plastic material (protecting plate) hasbeen provided. This is fixed to the socket and extends from below theconfronting wall 26 below the socket proper as part of the socket.

This system of plug and socket has in fact been specially developed forour light telephone sets.

It is understood that the preceding description of an example of thisinvention must not be considered as limitative.

I claim:

1. A plug and socket connector for an electric circuit, said socketcomprising a case having a removable cover enclosing a central cavity, aplurality of pairs of mutually insulated leaf contact springs withinsaid cavity, an end wall in said socket, openings in said end wallproviding access to said cavity, each of said pairs of springs borderingan opening in said end wall; said plug comprising a case having aremovable cover and an end wall, a plurality of pairs of bladesprojecting through the end wall of said plug, each said pair of bladesbeing separated by a strip of insulating material having the shape of anarrow, said strip including a separating body portion and a head portionat the projecting end, said head portion including tapered edgesextending laterally beyond the lateral extent of the plug blades toprotect said blades on entry into said socket, an alignment lugprojecting from the blade plug end of the case, said lug beingconstructed to slide into an opening of cooperating shape in the endwall of said socket, means for securing said lug in said opening ofcooperating shape and for preventing thereby the accidental dislocationof the connector, the cover for the plug having a lip overhang forcovering the intersection of the s ket and plug when the co ector isasse bled, there y protecting e connector om entry of oreign particles,and said socket further including a plate on the backside thereof,extending beyond the end wall of the socket to provide a backing forsaid plug when the latter is engaged with said socket, the back plateproviding a protective guard for the surface to which the connector ismounted from marring etc. upon assembly and disassembly of theconnector. I

2. A plug and socket connector for an electric circuit, said socketcomprising a case having a removable cover enclosing a central cavity,and plug-entrances thereto at one end, a plurality of pairs of leafcontact springs within said cavity with one spring of each pair havingone end part offset from the main body thereof, said offset part havingan inset flange with a hole therein, the other spring of each pairhaving a flange on one end'with a hole therein, the length of both saidsprings from the offset part of said one spring and the flange of saidother spring being substantially the same,

I the springs of each pair being secured by screws positioned in tandemand separated by a partition, said plug comprising an open top casehaving a removable cover and having a plurality of pairs of bladesprojecting through the other end, each said pair of blades beingseparated by a strip of insulating material, said insulating stripincluding a divider portion separating said blades and a lead endportion, said lead end portion configured into the shape of an arrowheadextending beyond and covering said blades and extending laterally beyondthe lateral extent of said blades to protect said blades from separationduring insertion of said plug, the cover for the plug having a lipoverhang for covering the intersection of the socket and plug when theconnector is assembled, thereby protecting the connector from entry offoreign particles, and said socket further including a plate on thebackside thereof, extending beyond the end wall of the socket to providea backing for said plug when the latter is engaged with said socket, theback plate providing a protective guard for the surface to which theconnector is mounted from marring etc. upon assembly and disassembly ofthe connector.

1. A plug and socket connector for an electric circuit, said socketcomprising a case having a removable cover enclosing a central cavity, aplurality of pairs of mutually insulated leaf contact springs withinsaid cavity, an end wall in said socket, openings in said end wallproviding access to said cavity, each of said pairs of springs borderingan opening in said end wall; said plug comprising a case having aremovable cover and an end wall, a plurality of pairs of bladesprojecting through the end wall of said plug, each said pair of bladesbeing separated by a strip of insulating material having the shape of anarrow, said strip including a separating body portion and a head portionat the projecting end, said head portion including tapered edgesextending laterally beyond the lateral extent of the plug blades toprotect said blades on entry into said socket, an alignment lugprojecting from the blade plug end of the case, said lug beingconstructed to slide into an opening of cooperating shape in the endwall of said socket, means for securing said lug in said opening ofcooperating shape and for preventing thereby the accidental dislocationof the connector, the cover for the plug having a lip overhang forcovering the intersection of the socket and plug when the connector isassembled, thereby protecting the connector from entry of foreignparticles, and said socket further including a plate on the backsidethereof, extending beyond the end wall of the socket to provide abacking for said plug when the latter is engaged with said socket, theback plate providing a protective guard for the surface to which theconnector is mounted from marring etc. upon assembly and disassembly ofthe connector.
 2. A plug and socket connector for an electric circuit,said socket comprising a case having a removable cover enclosing acentral cavity, and plug-entrances thereto at one end, a plurality ofpairs of leaf contact springs within said cavity with one spring of eachpair having one end part offset from the main body thereof, said offsetpart having an inset flange with a hole therein, the other spring ofeach pair having a flange on one end with a hole therein, the length ofboth said springs from the offset part of said one spring and the flangeof said other spring being substantially the same, the springs of eachpair being secured by screws positioned in tandem and separated by apartition, said plug comprising an open top case having a removablecover and having a plurality of pairs of blades projecting through theother end, each said pair of blades being separated by a strip ofinsulating material, said insulating strip including a divider portionseparating said blades and a lead end portion, said lead end portionconfigured into the shape of an arrowhead extending beyond and coveringsaid blades and extending laterally beyond the lateral extent of saidblades to protect said blades from separation during insertion of saidplug, the cover for the plug having a lip overhang for covering theintersection of the socket and plug when the connector is assembled,thereby protecting the connector from entry of foreign particles, andsaid socket further including a plate on the backside thereof, extendingbeyond the end wall of the socket to provide a backing for said plugwhen the latter is engaged with said socket, the back plate providing aprotective guard for the surface to which the connector is mounted frommarring etc. upon assembly and disassembly of the connector.